To know him is to love him–that fab freak who can change himself into any element in the human body! He’s the one and only Rex Mason, alias Metamorpho… but can even he win out against Cy.C.L.O.P.S., the hairy eyeball of crime that gazes from the top of the pop charts to the lowest depths of evil–and even into the far-off, far-out Ra-Realm? To find out, the Element Man must survive a hand-picked assassin who can match him change for change… Metamorpho: The Element Man #1 is the hippest retro start to a comic that’ll have you wanting to come back for more.

I know nothing about Metamorpho. There’s something about changing his body’s elements and that’s about all I’ve got. But, a comic debut written by Al Ewing and art by Steve Lieber, I’m going to check it out no matter who it’s starring. Metamorpho: The Element Man #1 is a solid introduction to the character that gives you enough to understand the character’s powers and a little of his origin. But, you don’t really need to know any of that. There’s a bit about various organizations and a mysterious enemy, and it all comes together for a retro debut that’s just fun.

Ewing and Lieber give a comic that has a bit of a retro flair about it. There’s the dialogue that’s used that feels like it’s a homage and a bit of a wink and nod on classic comics. There’s something kind of 70s about it and the comic overall has a vibe where it should end have music and a narrator saying “until next time.” It creates a fun reading experience that lacks and dark overtone or connotations. It’s just goofy fun.

The art by Lieber is solid. With color by Lee Loughridge and lettering by Ferran Delgado. It has Lieber’s distinctive style and matches the 70s vibe of the story and dialogue. Metamorpho looks solid and a scene where he’s “melted” fantastic. The position of the characters and reactions all look classic in some ways and the comic’s visuals are as entertaining as the story. It’s a solid match and creative team.

Metamorpho: The Element Man #1 is an interesting comic as it feels disconnected from the DC Universe and it’s style is a bit of a throwback. It’s a debut where you can just pick it up and enjoy it without needing to know continuity or caught up with anything else that’s going on. It’s a nice throwback debut you can dive into and enjoy.

Story: Al Ewing Art: Steve Lieber
Color: Lee Loughridge Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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